Behind the cigar smoke, fluffy white hair and mustache, and atop the crisp white suit, a pair of eyes twinkle with mischief and a voice drawls out with ageless wit and wisdom. This guise represents Samuel Clemens, better known as Mark Twain. The author is being brought to life by Val Kilmer at the Pasadena Playhouse in “Citizen Twain,” beginning Wednesday.

Juilliard graduate Kilmer is accomplished both on stage and screen and is most noted for his chameleon-like ability to become the character he portrays. Part of his success is his attention to detail and willingness to do the research and work required to make the role believable. For example, Kilmer learned the nuances of Jim Morrison’s voice for his part in “The Doors” and how to play the piano for his role as Doc Holliday in “Tombstone.”

Kilmer has spent the last three years refining “Citizen Twain,” which he produces, directs, writes and stars in. He has presented it as a workshop in several Los Angeles venues, polishing it as he went along.

The one-man play is a character study, exploring how Samuel Clemens learned more about himself and the person he wanted to be through his writing. It also looks at his relationship with Mary Baker Eddy, the founder of Christian Science. Twain was often considered an antagonist of Eddy, yet he emphatically supported her individualism.

“Mrs. Eddy represents womanhood and Twain has been fast and loose with the truth about her,” Kilmer said. “And the word that I choose to express womanhood is love. That’s a big theme in the whole evening: what is love and how do we express it, how do get along with each other. I’m going to melt faces and change people’s lives from their souls up.”

Kilmer, who lives in Los Angeles, is patriotic about America and feels that Twain had the humor, empathy, love and intellect that is needed today to rise above petty politics in a greedy, corrupt government.

Advertisement

Twain “was so warm of our diversity and so celebratory of our diversity and so understanding of our race issues, that racists were less racist when they read his stuff, and prejudiced people were less prejudiced when they read his stuff,” Kilmer said. “I would like to believe, because I’m an optimist, that greedy people were less greedy when they read his stuff.”

Twain had an an interest in learning and striving to be a better person, while caring about and helping others ; Kilmer shares those values.

“I know that he loved people, I certainly love people. I honestly don’t think I love people as much as Mrs. Eddy or Mark Twain, but I would like to.

“One of the fun things about acting, if you’re lucky, is you get to pick things to work on about your shortcomings and someone pays you to do it. It’s a version of going to school or getting therapy,” Kilmer said.

Portraying a real person is easier than creating a character from scratch because there is a model to draw from, he noted. But it is also more difficult beause you can’t make mistakes.

Hal Holbrook would understand, as he has played Mark Twain in a one-man show since 1954. Kilmer has seen his production twice.

“I’ve been very encouraged by him,” Kilmer said. “I’m very grateful that he has been supportive of my exploration of the character. I would like to talk to him more about Mark Twain personally and his take on religion. It’s not a weekend passion for Hal Holbrook, so I’d take any advice he’d have if he got around to seeing my play.”

What if Kilmer had the chance to speak to Twain himself?

“What would I ask Mark Twain? First question, how am I doing? What’s my grade? Am I getting a C-plus?

“I know there are more important questions to ask because he was a genius,” Kilmer said. “I think I’d like to ask him what he would write today” ... and what would be his “current opinion of Mrs. Eddy” and the Christian Science way of life.

Eddy’s religious movement emphasized the individual; it was radical in its perspective to modern Christianity and Judaism.

. Twain had a humorous take on Eddy’s position, but thought her views offered a way to discuss big ideas, such as love.

“They both took on big words and big ideas and really tried to make sense of them in a personal way,” Kilmer said of Twain and Eddy.

“One could say that Twain was winging it and trying to come up with a good yarn, Tom Sawyer, Huck Finn. Tell a good story and make some people smile, and make some money, but he passes on some very important deep truths about human nature, he said.

“Twain was a very serious thinker, so I would ask him those big questions. How would you define God today or how would you address Mrs. Eddy’s beliefs today?”

Performing “Citizen Twain” has given Kilmer more confidence in the role ; it also has helped him develop his screenplay for a film about Eddy and Twain. For Kilmer, the two represent the individualism and freedom that is part of the fabric of America.

Eddy started a college, a newspaper and the first franchise (Christian Science reading rooms). Twain quit school at 12 and ended up defining American literature.

“It’s almost unimaginable how they perfectly exemplify the American spirit because they’re — against all odds — characters who had very heroic behavior and who were very respectable,” Kilmer said.

In addition to his Twain works, Kilmer has a number of different film projects in various stages. Most recently, he lent his voice to the Disney animated film, “Planes.”

Kilmer is also very happy with his decision to move to Los Angeles after many years in New Mexico, now he can spend more time with his children. However, that time may be more precious than he thought, as “Citizen Twain” is catching the attention of Broadway producers — and Kilmer couldn’t be more tickled.

“I’ve always enjoyed the quality of the Pasadena Playhouse,” Kilmer said. “More plays have gone to Broadway from the Pasadena Playhouse than any other theater in California. Not that Broadway’s the end of the rainbow, but it’s certainly the most important word you can ever associate with American theater.”